Web 2.0: Connecting Us on Election Day

This election was one that will go down in history for a multitude of reasons, but the one I’d like to highlight is the role of the Web, not just in campaigning, but on Election Day itself. For the first time, people had access to tools online that allowed them to share in real time their experience and their feelings and emotions, good or bad.

Watching Twitter on Tuesday, I saw people all across the country detailing their experience in line, how long they had to wait, problems that were happening in different districts, and much, much more. Facebook was similar. Status updates expressed people’s frustrations, pride, excitement… People shared videos, articles and news as it appeared about the election.

Personally, by watching locals on Twitter and Facebook, I got a great feel for what I was in store for when I went to vote and how long I could expect to wait. When I stood in line with nothing to do but read a magazine for an hour and a half, I instead chose to “tweet” my experience, even posting a photo taken with my iPhone of the line. Even better, while Twittering, I discovered another Twitterer who was in my line and introduced myself. Very cool.

Did you share your experience online? Please share how!

Folks also posted videos of their experience, with one guy even posting a video with supposed Black Panthers outside a polling booth with a billy club! True or not, this is a perfect example of citizen journalism, people putting the information about their experiences out there for unfiltered consumption, no media to choose what gets through or doesn’t. Course that also means that a lot of junk gets through.

This election brought a lot of people together (and a few people apart, but that’s par for politics) behind a common cause, and the Web and social media helped accelerate that process. It enabled us to connect, explore our common bonds, our shared experiences (waiting hours in line) in real time, connecting us in ways we’ve never experienced before during an election. No matter your politics, that is surely a good thing.